Pin fastener



March 2l, 1933. G. sl MAYNARD 1,902,308

PIN FASTENER Filed June 25, `195].

Izwezzoa@ Patented Mar'. 21, 1933 UNITEDSTATES PATE-NT OFFICEA f GEORGE S. MAYNARD, OF NEWTONVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T UNITED-CARR FASTENER ,CORII?ORATIOIT,v 0F' CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS" ,L

Application med `:rune 25,

My invention aims to provide improvements in pin fasteners particularly', though not exclusively, useful in connection'wlththe attachment of slip :coversto upholstery.

In the drawing which illustrates preferred embodiments of my invention Figure 1 is afront elevation of a preferred V form of my pin fastener; Fig. 2 is a 'rear elevation of thepm fastener; p i Fig. 3 is a section taken on the llneB-Bof Fig. 2 showingV thehinged plate 1n .prong-v locking position; n

Fig. v4 is a vertical section through the pm fastener similar to that shown inl Fig. 3 and showing the hinged plate in unlocked position; l

Fig. 5 is arear elevation of a second pm fastener showing another form ofV detent means;

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5, but showing the hinged plate in unlocked position; and

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5. The pin fasteners illustrated by the drawing are improvements over the well known types of pin fasteners which have been used to a large extent for securing slip covers to upholstery installations.

My improved fasteners are easy to attach and detach and may be securely locked in place in a very simple and effective manner without injury to the material during attachment or detachment and with greater ease because of their construction and operation. In the devices selected for illustration each has an attaching part 1 and a plate part 2 hinged to the attaching part. The attaching part 1 is made of wire and has two sharp pointed parallel legs 3 connected at one end by a portion 4. The plate part 2 is hinged in a suitable manner (according to the construction of the detent means) to swing relative to the attaching portion for purposes hereinafter described. The plate part 2 has meansV in the form of a sharp pointed stabbing prong 5 extending from the lower endof the plate part for securing the fastener to a slip cover f or like structure. v v Each pin fastener is provided with detent Pm FASTENER 1931, serial. Nb. 546,732.Y

means formed partly bythe attaching part `and partly by the plate part and is adapted to hold the plate part in locked position when the prong 5 is'forced into the vmaterial to which the pin is attached.

Referringnow to the detent structure usedl asia part of the device shown in Figs. 1 through 4, inclusive, I havev provided loop portions 6 6 in the attaching part (Fig. 2) adjacent to where the legs 3 join the connecting portion 4. Between the portions 6 6 the portion 4is bent downwardly (Figs. 2Y and 3) and a hinge portion 2'V formed integral with the plate is engaged therewith'. Thus, the two parts of the fastener are secured together in hinged relation. vBy arranging the loops 6 6`so that the distance from the center of the hinge to the plate inthedirection `of the angleof the loops is greater than the distance from the hinge to the plate at right angles to the legs 3 I provide a cam action when the plate 2 is moved about the pivot provided bythe downward-ly bent portion of the connecting portion 4. 'This providesa sort of detent cam action which'is utilized to hold theA plate 2 inthe position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. I

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated by have shown the detentl means as being formed in what might well be termed a reverse order from that shown in Figs. 1 throughv 4.V ,A loop 8 is formed in the of 4the attaching part midway between the legs 3. *Thel hingedv plate v2 hastwohinges 9 9 engaging the connecting portion between ilihe legs 8 kand the loop 8, as best shown in Between the hinges 9 9 Ihave provided as a part of the plate 2.a linger 10 which is looped over the loop 8 and shaped to prevent movement'vof one relativey to the other for any Vsubstantial distance vwithout one yielding relative to the other. AkThus I have provided a cam action between theloop 8 and the finger part 2 securely in al position lshown in 7.

It will be seen that I have provided detent means which receive their cam actions either by a yielding action of the legs 3 3 relative Figs. 5, 6 and 7 ofthe drawing I .8.0

connecting portion 4 10 which is used'tohold'the plate p to each other, as in the construction shown in Figs. l through 4, or by a yielding action of the finger 1G, as .shown in Figs. 5 through 7. Of course, it is understood that I may construct devices using a combination of these actions.

To attach either fastener to an upholstered structure, the plate is first swung into an unf locked position substantially atv rightangles to the legs 3, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6. Then with the plate part 2 grasped between the thumb and the first and second fingers the sharp pointed legs 3 may be easily `forced through the slip cover or like structure andv into embedded relation with'theV upholstery. Thereafter the plate'part 2 is pressed toward the slip cover and the prong V5 is forced through the slip cover and into the upholstery, thereby locking the. fastener against accidental withdrawal. During the latter part of the attaching operationthe cam action takesiplace inthe detent means and the plate 2 is securely locked in position and cannot accidentally be brushed intounlocking 'positon. f

Vhen the fastener is attached as above deJ scribed it is held securely in position and the prong 5 prevents the legs 3 from pull-ing out of the upholstery'whenlateral stress is exerted. To remove the fastener it is merely necessary to lift the lower edge of theplate part 2, thereby Apulling the prong portion 5 freelfrom the installation.y lThereafter the plate part 2 may bey grasped and the pinvremoved by exerting an upward pull thereon.

My invention is durable, simple in construction and is arranged to provide a very desirable device for sim-ple and efficient use. It is preferably made of two pieces and the plate 2 is formed with the hinges, prong and finger in .such a manner that they are concealed by a neat and preferably imperforate front portion. Y

`While I have illustrated and described preferred embodiments of my invention, I do not wish to be limited thereby, kbecause the scope of my invention is best defined by the following claims.

1. A pin fastener comprising, in combination, an' attaching part having pin means for securing the fastener to a structure-to be fastened thereby, a plate part hinged to said attaching part at its upper end and concealing the entire upper end portion of the attaching part and said plate part having a stabbing prong extending therefrom toward said attachingV part and concealed locking means provided' partly by the plate part and partly by the attaching part adjacent to the connection between the plate part and the attaching part to hold the plate part in locked position when the fastener is attached to a structure and the stabbing prong is engaged therewith.

2. A pin fastener comprising, in combination, an attaching part l, a plate part 2 hinged thereto and having a stabbing prong 5 extending therefrom toward said attaching part and detent means provided tohold the plate part in locked position when the fastener is attached to a structure and the stabbing prong is engaged therewith, said detent means comprising spaced loop portions 6-6 provided ont-he attaching part adjacent to where the plate part 2 is hinged to the attaching part and a hinge securing said plate part 2 to the attaching part l between the loop portions 6-6 in such a manner that the ends of the loops 6;#6' make camming engagement with the plate 2 during a hingmg movement ofthe plate 2 relative to the attaching partll'. y

3. A pinfastener comprising, in combination, an attaching partl having pointed leg portions 3- 3 connected together by a portion 4 a plate part 2 hinged to the connecting portion 4f and having a stabbing prong 5 extending therefrom -toward said ,attaching part and detent means provided to hold the plate kpart in locked position when the fastener is attached -to a structure and the stabbing prong is engaged therewith, said detent means comprising'a loop 8 provided in the connecting portion 4 and a yieldable finger l() extending from said plate part 2 and looped around said loop 8 and shaped to cooperate therewith in a cam-like action when said plate part 2 is moved in a hinging action relative to said attaching part 1.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

GEORGE S. MAYNARD. 

